Optical sensing is used in a variety of applications. For example, optical sensing is often utilized in surveillance applications in vehicles such as aircraft, spacecraft, landcraft, and watercraft.
In such applications, it is often beneficial that an optical sensing apparatus or system produce high quality images. Additionally, an optical sensing apparatus or system that provides flexibility in the type of images that can be produced in the field and the ability to utilize a large field of view where imaging can take place can be useful features, in some instances.
In aircraft, for example, optical sensing can be used as part of the aircraft's imaging system and also can be used to produce viewable photo or video type images of the ground and/or the activities in the air and/or on the ground. Such optical sensing systems can, therefore, be multi-functional.
Such optical sensing systems can provide imaging through a broad spectrum of frequencies including wavelengths across the human visible and/or infrared spectrum, among other ranges. This allows for flexibility in the type of images that can be produced by the optical sensing system.
However, in order to provide such functionality, all or most of the imaging components are moved as the target of imaging is changed. In some applications, a vehicle may have space constraints or weight distribution issues that may make such movements difficult, undesirable, or impossible. Further, such components may be too large to provide a suitable operational cross-section field of view, in some applications.